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  • Fixed by 35
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2010
    • 618

    Careers

    I've made several claims that baldness affects careers and I want to know whether the theory stands up to scrutiny.

    For example, the theory suggests bald men earn on average 20% less than men with hair (meaning the wage differential is almost on a par with women, who earn less because they work shorter hours, have more fulfilling public sector jobs and tend to take ten year career breaks to look after children. Ouch. No, sorry, my girlfriend has just reminded me they earn less because they're women).

    Also, a study by the Emmid Institute have a decreased chance of gaining a job when against a candidate who is similarly qualified with hair. Hell, that's in Germany. I don't want to worry you guys, but that means even mullets are better than baldness in job interviews! Worse still, it means it matters even in a country with very little regard for personal appearance. Well, I mean, they really don't do they? How much worse is it in a country like the UK? Or the USA, which seems to be obsessed with the state of my countrymen's teeth, let alone our hair?

    I think baldness matters a huge amount to successful careers. I think, ironically, that it takes the shine off a person and diminishes their status as an employee and a job candidate.

    It would be interesting to know what people on these boards do as a job, how qualified they are, how old they are and how senior they are in their chosen field.

    For example, I have a first class Honours degree in History, the ICSA Professional qualification (equivalent to a postgraduate diploma) and seven years experience working both for a Big 4 accountancy firm and one of the ten largest banks in the world. That might sound impressive until I point out I'm only two grades above the person who does the filing!

    Also, my manager (one grade above me), who has lots of hair, has no degree, no professional qualifications, no experience with a Big 4 accountancy practice and is only three years older than me. His manager, the managing director, who also has hair, also has no degree, no qualifications and spent most of his career as a police officer.

    It does leave me wondering where I'm going wrong! I'm far more qualified than anyone else in my company, I'm more experienced and I generally work well in a team. I'm also good with clients (they can't see you via e-mail or on the phone!) I think I can guess what the problem is though.
  • LFC
    Junior Member
    • Sep 2009
    • 14

    #2
    Can u cite your source please

    Comment

    • [mcr]
      Member
      • Dec 2009
      • 99

      #3
      I suspect the answer to the question you ask is very similar to this topic


      "Why tall people make more money"

      There's a few articles and studies floating around that indicate that taller people make more money. In pretty much every study i've seen, it all comes down to self-esteem. There is otherwise no difference between tall and short people.

      Taller people believe they have a desirable genetic trait, and that belief is reinforced by the feedback they get from society, which boosts their self-esteem.

      Likewise, I believe hairloss undermines confidence and self-esteem, leading in the grand scheme of things to bald people suffering from the stigma associated with their condition.

      It seems to be a natural thing for people to take every advantage they can against the competition, which is everyone else, whether that advantage is real or imaginary. So tall people make fun of short people, skinny people make fun of fat people, people of a certain race make fun of other races, people with hair make fun of bald people, etc. It's simply the human element at work.

      Comment

      • KeepTheHair
        Senior Member
        • Mar 2010
        • 1215

        #4
        Well the thing with tall people is, I have also read that tall people tend to be smarter, up to a certain point then it start to decline again. So, the tall thing is kinda irrelevant.

        But I admit. If someone looked at a short bald guy and then at a tall guy with a full head of hair.

        It is extremely obvious who will get the most job offers.

        Comment

        • [mcr]
          Member
          • Dec 2009
          • 99

          #5
          Everytime I feel like the odds are stacked against me, I remember people who had it much worse, and used their disadvantages as motivation to go farther than everyone else.

          Neil Strauss. Spencer Kobren did an interview with him. short bald guy. One of the greatest pickup artists in the world.

          Sean Stephenson. Watch the video samples at http://www.timetostand.com/college.htm and compare our 'condition' to his.

          Comment

          • Fixed by 35
            Senior Member
            • Mar 2010
            • 618

            #6
            This is all very interesting, but what I'm really trying to establish is a straw poll of where balding people are in their careers in comparison to those with hair.

            For example, I'm probably about three promotions below those of a similar age and qualifications to me in my chosen career. So I fit the balding stereotype of underachiever pretty well.

            Comment

            • [mcr]
              Member
              • Dec 2009
              • 99

              #7
              To respond to your poll, I am early thirties and I am an executive at our company. Only 2 people above me. I have very average academic qualifications, and am average height.

              My hair loss isn't severe, it's like a Norwood 2. It has still affected my self-image significantly otherwise I wouldn't be here.

              Comment

              • Fixed by 35
                Senior Member
                • Mar 2010
                • 618

                #8
                As a Norwood 2, I'd be quite reluctant to even classify you as suffering from hair loss, let alone as a bald man!

                Seriously, doesn't something like 95% of the population become a Norwood 2 by about 20? An adult Norwood 1 is a fairly rare thing I think! Rare enough, indeed, to look odd. I'd even say that by age 30 it's so odd everyone would assume you were wearing a wig!

                As such, no surprise you've done okay, you have hair. Congratulations!

                Comment

                • [mcr]
                  Member
                  • Dec 2009
                  • 99

                  #9
                  My hairline has receded around the temples. The top of my head used to be very thin as well - see the pics in my thread about my story.

                  Comment

                  • Gusto
                    Member
                    • Apr 2010
                    • 89

                    #10
                    I thoroughly believe that losing my hair has cost me jobs.

                    I have often turned up at an interview, and I could see in the interviewer's eyes as she looked at the top of my head, that she thought I wasn't right because I was bald.

                    It's a fact of life, EMPLOYERS prefer men to have hair in senior positions like management.

                    Comment

                    • CIT_Girl
                      Senior Member
                      • Mar 2010
                      • 302

                      #11
                      This is an interesting thread. Fixed by 35, I have to admit that I'm hoping you are wrong, just because I don't want to think that hair loss is one more thing holding people back from succeeding, but you're more than likely correct.

                      Since I'm in Atlanta, I arbitrarily thought to look at Home Depot's Corporate Website and Senior Leadership Team to see approximately how many of the senior level men pictured were balding (very scientific approach obviously ). Of about 20 men (all likely at least 40 years old), I only counted 4 or 5 whom would be considered a Norwood Class III or higher. A greater number actually had very youthful hair lines, which leads me to believe many of them may have sought various options for concealing or treating hair loss. See for yourselves: http://corporate.homedepot.com/wps/p...DMDAwMDAwMDA!/

                      However, as compelling as this (and real statistics) may be, I do think (as mcr pointed out) that confidence goes a long way. I certainly don't believe that hair loss needs to exclude anyone from succeeding in life. Maybe things ARE easier for those not combating hair loss...but I think having to deal with adversity in some way is normal and it makes people much more interesting.

                      Comment

                      • Fixed by 35
                        Senior Member
                        • Mar 2010
                        • 618

                        #12
                        If you look on a corporate website with pictures, you're typically looking at no more than a single token bald man. I'd even go as far as saying good for Home Depot for bucking the trend.

                        I think it may be career-wise to cover up hair loss. Either that, or go it alone and be recognised by your talent. Just my opinion though.

                        I think tackling adversity is good, but it's only rewarding when you can win. When you have no chance of winning, it's more likely to make people bitter than interesting.

                        Also, people with hair don't consider fighting hair loss as fighting adversity, they think of it as vanity. These same people often buy expensive clothes, have laser eye surgery, go on expensive fad diets and need to be seen with the latest gadgets, big cars and nice houses. Oh, but we're still the ones who are vain.

                        Comment

                        • stephendawson
                          Junior Member
                          • Apr 2018
                          • 1

                          #13
                          You can always try something new. Freelance curriculum job at https://freelancewriting.biz/curriculum-jobs/ may be the one that will interest you. I tried a lot of different job throughout my life and my experience was interesting.

                          Comment

                          • BaldBearded
                            Senior Member
                            • Jan 2017
                            • 548

                            #14
                            I was a manager in a software company, managing teams across the globe. No one cared when I interviewed that my head was shaved bald, and I had a six-inch beard.

                            Comment

                            • Ahab
                              Senior Member
                              • Jul 2014
                              • 142

                              #15
                              Who was the last really bald president that was elected to office (Ford doesn't count--he was not elected to be president)? Case closed.

                              Comment

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